a collection of readings savvy reader€¦ · direction of robert e. slavin and nancy a. madden to...
TRANSCRIPT
The SavvyReader
Level 3
This project was developed at the Success for All Foundation under the
direction of Robert E. Slavin and Nancy A. Madden to utilize the power of
cooperative learning, frequent assessment and feedback, and schoolwide
collaboration proven in decades of research to increase student learning.
A Collection of Readings
A Nonprofit Education Reform Organization
200 W. Towsontown Blvd., Baltimore, MD 21204
PHONE: (800) 548-4998; FAX: (410) 324-4444
E-MAIL: [email protected]
WEBSITE: www.successforall.org
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
© 2011 Success for All Foundation. All rights reserved.
Produced by the Reading Wings 4th Edition Team
Director of Development: Nancy A. Madden
Assistant Director of Development: Kate Conway
Project Manager: Wendy Fitchett
Rollout Coordinator: Kate Conway
Developers: Kathleen Collins, Allison Dower, Richard Gifford, Angie Hale,
Allison Hoge, Susan Magri, Brian Sevier
Interactive Whiteboard Developers: Austin Jones, Chris Jones, Tyler Keen, Adrian Mathenia, Becca Slavin
Editors: Marti Gastineau, Mary Jane Sackett, Janet Wisner
Project Coordinator: Kristal Mallonee-Klier
Designers and Production Artists: Dan Birzak, Debra Branner, Michael Hummel, Susan Perkins
Media: Tonia Hawkins, Peter Lance, Jane Strausbaugh
Proofreaders: Meghan Fay, Samantha Gussow, Betty Wagner
Online Tools: Michael Knauer, Victor Matusak, Terri Morrison, Christian Strama,
Mary Conway Vaughan
Illustrator: James Bravo
Photo Credits: Photos used in the student readings are from the following sources:
Burning Well Library of Congress American Memory Morguefile.com NationalAtlas.gov National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Park Service National Aeronautics and Space Administration PDPhoto.org University of Texas Libraries U.S. Army U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey Wikimedia Foundation
Table of Contents
◆ Alaska.....................................................................1
◆ Grizzly Bears ............................................................2
◆ Tryouts ....................................................................3
◆ Walter’s Week ........................................................19
◆ Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This! ............................37
◆ Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them ...........................................49
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 1
Alaska
Do you know that if you moved Alaska inside the rest
of the United States, it would take up a good portion of
the continent? Alaska is the largest state in the United
States. Five regions make up Alaska. Each region makes
a unique contribution to the state’s ecology and wildlife.
Denali National Park is in Alaska. It is home to
Mt. McKinley, the highest peak in North America. Many
parts of Alaska lend themselves to the enjoyment of
Alaska’s wildlife through fi shing, hiking, and exploring.
The Northern Lights are another attraction in Alaska.
Scientists call this phenomenon aurora borealis. This
is when the sky lights up with a beautiful colorful glow.
You can see reds, blues, pinks, and purples. During some
months in some places in Alaska, the Northern Lights
can be seen up to ten times a month. This is just one of
the exciting things to see in Alaska.
AlaskaAlaska
2 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
Grizzly Bears
Grizzly BearsGrizzly Bears
Grizzly bears live in the northwestern United States and
Alaska. These huge creatures can grow to more than
1,000 pounds! They are usually a shade of brown in color.
They have a big hump of muscle on their shoulders. The
hump gives them strength in their paws to do things like
dig dens. Grizzlies use dens to hibernate in and raise their
cubs. Grizzlies are omnivores, which means they eat nuts,
berries, and other animals, like elk and moose. Grizzlies
often live for more than twenty years.
Grizzlies are threatened in the northwestern United
States. This means they could be endangered one day. In
some parts of Alaska, grizzlies are already endangered.
The biggest threat to grizzlies is poaching, when people
kill bears illegally. Many organizations work to save the
bears and stop illegal hunting.
Grizzly BearsGrizzly Bears
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Story by Darnell ParkerIllustration by James Bravo
Tryouts
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Hector and Mary were best friends who did
everything together. They were neighbors. They walked
to school together. They walked home together in the
afternoon. They did homework together. They played
together.
One spring Saturday morning, Hector knocked
on Mary’s door. Mary was having pancakes for breakfast.
“Mary,” Hector called. “Today’s a special day!”
“What do you mean, Hector?” Mary asked.
“Today they have tryouts for the baseball team.
I can’t wait. Let’s go!” Hector said.
Mary said, “But I’ve never played baseball. I don’t
think I’d be very good at it.”
“Sure you would,” Hector replied. “Don’t worry.
I’m sure you’ll do fi ne. Look. I even brought an extra
mitt for you to use.”
“Okay, Hector,” Mary answered. She washed her
plate and put it away. “Mother, I’m going to go play
baseball with Hector!” she called.
“Have a good time,” her mother called from
the parlor.
Tryouts
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Mary walked outside. “Let’s go!” Hector said.
They walked down the street. As they walked,
they tossed Hector’s baseball back and forth.
Mary was surprised. She had never thrown
a baseball before, but she was good at it.
She seemed to have a knack for it.
“Well, Mary, you’re good at this,” Hector said.
“I think we’ll both be on the baseball team this year.
That will be fun!”
Mary was excited, too, for she had never been
on a baseball team. In fact, she had never been on any
team. She looked forward to it. Hector and Mary kept
throwing the ball as they walked. Back and forth. Back
and forth. The sun was shining. It was a pretty morning.
Hector and Mary smiled as they played. They were
having a good time, like friends often do.
Tryouts
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Hector and Mary arrived at the park. There were
many kids there, of all ages. Some had fancy gloves.
Some had fancy mitts. Some had fancy shoes and hats.
But everyone was there to try out for the baseball team.
The coaches were going to have several teams, for
different ages. Mary and Hector would try out for the
youngest team. They used a bright red pen to write
their names on the sign-up sheet. Hector wrote,
“Hector Gonzalez, age 8.” Mary signed her name,
“Mary Patterson, age 9.”
Hector and Mary sat and waited for their turns
to try out. They watched some of the other kids
throw, catch, and hit the ball. Some of the
kids were really great. Other kids needed a
little more practice. Hector smiled because
he knew he would make the team. Mary
wondered if she would play well enough to
make the team. But she was happy just to be outside
in the sun. “I’m having a good time, Hector,” Mary said.
“I am too,” Hector replied.
Tryouts
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They waited a short while. Then the baseball coach
called out, “Mary Patterson!” It was Mary’s turn to try
out. She was nervous. “Do you think I’ll do well, Hector?”
Mary whispered as she stood up from the bench.
“I’m sure you’ll do a great job. I believe in you,”
Hector said. This made Mary feel better.
The coach called over to her. “Mary, grab a bat.
Try to hit the ball that I pitch to you.” Mary picked up
a shiny bat. It felt cool in her hands. She thought about
baseball players. She had seen them on television.
She had watched them today. So she knew how to stand
and hold the bat.
Mary heard Hector yell from the bench, “Go Mary!”
Mary stood holding the bat. She was ready to swing.
The coach threw the ball toward her. She waited.
Then she swung. She missed the ball the fi rst time.
“It’s okay, Mary,” the coach called. He was on the
pitcher’s mound. He asked her to throw him the ball.
She threw it back. “Nice toss!” he called.
Tryouts
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“You can do it, Mary!” Hector shouted. “Pay
attention to the ball. Don’t think about other things.”
Mary was happy that her friend was helping.
The coach threw the ball again. Mary swung the
bat. This time, she hit the ball. The ball soared over the
coach’s head. It landed in the grass. “Way to go, Mary!”
Hector called. Mary was proud of herself. She had done
a good job.
The coach called Mary over. Mary walked to
him. “Now it’s time to practice catching the ball,”
the coach said. “I’ll hit the ball to you.” Mary stood in the
Tryouts
10 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
grass. The coach picked up the bat. He tossed the ball
into the air. He swung the bat. The ball sailed toward
Mary. Mary opened her mitt. She caught the ball!
“Good job, Mary!” the coach yelled. “Now, throw the ball
back to me. Throw as hard as you can!”
Mary threw the ball as hard as she could. The coach
caught the ball. “That’s another good throw!” he called.
Mary was very pleased with herself. She had hit the ball.
She had caught the ball. She had thrown the ball. She was
a good baseball player.
From the bench, Hector shouted, “I’m proud
of you, Mary!”
“Thanks, Hector!” Mary shouted back.
The coach called Mary over once again. “Mary,”
he said, “I think you’re a great ball player. There’s room
for you on the team. Congratulations!”
Mary clapped her hands. She was very excited.
She couldn’t wait to tell Hector. She ran over to him.
“Hector! I made the team!” she exclaimed.
“I knew you would, Mary. Way to go.”
“Thanks. You’re a great friend.”
Tryouts
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 11
Mary was done. Now it was Hector’s turn. “Hector
Gonzalez!” called the coach. “It’s your turn!”
All of a sudden, Hector felt nervous. He didn’t
know why. He knew he was a good baseball player.
But still, he was nervous. The coach called for him to
pick up the baseball bat. Hector picked it up. The coach
then threw the ball toward Hector. Hector swung at the
ball, but he missed.
“You can do it, Hector!” Mary called from the bench.
“I know you can.”
The coach asked Hector to try again. Hector tossed
the ball back to the coach. Then the coach threw the
ball toward Hector again. Hector missed again. He tried
over and over. He could not hit the ball.
The coach walked over. “Let’s see if you can
catch the ball,” he said. Hector and the coach traded
places. The coach tossed the ball into the air. Then
he hit it with the bat. The ball sailed toward Hector.
Hector extended his arm to catch the ball. The ball
sailed past him and landed in the grass. The coach said,
“Let’s try again.”
Tryouts
12 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
Hector threw the ball back to the coach. They tried
it two more times. Hector could not catch the ball.
Hector was very sad. He had tears in his eyes.
The coach walked over to him. “I know I can play,”
Hector whispered. “I know I can.” The coach had an idea.
“Listen, Hector. There will be more tryouts next
week. Why don’t you practice some more. Then come
back next Saturday.” Hector wiped his eyes. “Okay, I will
practice.” Hector walked over to the bench. He told Mary
he had to practice.
Tryouts
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“I know you can do it.” Mary said. She patted him
on the shoulder. “I’ll help you practice. I think you were
just nervous. Don’t worry.”
“I don’t understand,” Hector said. “I’m a great
player. But I’m glad you’ll help me. I’ll practice this week.
Next Saturday will be different.”
Although Hector was sad, he knew he could make
the team. He and Mary walked back to Mary’s house.
“Let’s start practicing. Let’s start right now!”
she exclaimed.
Hector didn’t feel like practicing. “I don’t want
to practice right now, Mary,” Hector said. “I feel like
being alone.”
Mary said, “I understand. We’ll start practicing
tomorrow. It’ll be fun!”
“Goodbye, Mary,” Hector said. “I’m going home now.”
Mary watched Hector walk down the street. He hung his
head. Mary wasn’t worried, though. She knew they would
practice. Everything would be okay. She was sure.
Tryouts
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The next day was Sunday. Mary had chores to do
in the morning. She had to help her father with the
laundry. She had to help her mother wash the car.
Mary liked helping people. She did her chores as fast
as she could. When she was done, she ran over to
Hector’s house. Hector was fi nishing a late breakfast.
He was eating pancakes.
“Hey, Hector!” Mary called from the open doorway.
“Are you ready to practice?”
Hector replied, “I sure am. I feel much better today.
I’m ready.” Hector washed his plate. He told his mother
he was going outside to play.
“Have a good time,” she called from the front room.
Hector grabbed his two mitts, his baseball, and his
bat, and he went outside. Mary was waiting. “What would
you like to practice fi rst?” Mary asked.
“Let’s practice hitting the ball,” Hector answered.
He and Mary walked over to the park. It was the same
park where the tryouts were the day before. Mary held
the ball. She stood about twenty feet from Hector.
Hector held the bat.
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“Are you ready?” Mary called.
“I sure am!” Hector shouted back.
Mary softly pitched the ball toward Hector.
Hector watched the ball approach. As it came near him,
Hector swung the bat. He swung as hard as he could.
He felt the bat and the ball connect. BANG! The ball
sailed over Mary’s head and landed far away in the
green grass.
“That was excellent!” Mary shouted. She ran to get
the ball. She and Hector kept practicing. They practiced
hitting. They practiced throwing and catching. They were
in the park all afternoon.
Around suppertime, they decided to go home.
Hector felt much better. He was growing confi dent again.
Mary asked, “We have school tomorrow. Do you want
to come back to the park after school?”
“Yes, I do.” Hector replied.
Tryouts
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The next day, Hector and Mary practiced after
school. They practiced until suppertime. It was warm
enough, so they even practiced after supper. They did
the same thing the following day. In fact, they came back
every day that week. By Friday afternoon, Hector felt
really good. He knew that he would play well at the next
day’s tryouts.
Mary said, “I’ll meet you at your house tomorrow
morning. We’ll go to the tryouts together.”
“That sounds great,” Hector said.
The next morning, the sun was shining. It was
another beautiful spring day. After breakfast and chores,
Mary walked to Hector’s house. Hector was outside
on the porch. He had his ball, mitt, and bat in his hands.
“I’m ready, Mary!” Hector exclaimed. “I owe it all to you!
Thanks for helping me!”
“You’re my friend, Hector,” Mary answered.
“Let’s go to tryouts. Remember, I’ll be right there.
I’ll be rooting for you.”
Tryouts
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Hector and Mary were the fi rst kids at the tryouts.
Hector wrote, “Hector Gonzalez, age 8” at the top of the
list. He waited for the coach to call his name. When the
coach called him, he quickly jumped up and ran over
to the coach.
“I’m back again, Coach.” Hector exclaimed.
“This time, I’m ready.”
“Okay, then let’s get started,” the coach said.
“Try hitting this ball when I throw it to you.” The coach
tossed the ball through the air.
Mary was anxious. She wondered if Hector would
be nervous again. She wondered if Hector would do well.
She thought he would. But she wasn’t sure.
As the ball reached Hector, he swung the bat as
hard as he could. The sound of the bat striking the ball
sounded wonderful. The ball smacked off the bat.
It sailed through the air. Up and up it went. Neither
Hector nor Mary had ever seen a ball hit that hard.
The ball traveled far past the coach. Mary jumped up
Tryouts
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from the bench and shouted. “Way to go, Hector!
Way to go!”
The coach started clapping. “I think I’ve seen
enough. There will be a spot for you on the
team. I look forward to coaching you.
Way to go!”
Hector looked over at Mary. Mary smiled
back. She gave him a thumbs-up. Hector smiled too
and said, “I already have a great coach.”
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 19
Story by Sam R. McCollIllustration by James Bravo
Walter’s Week
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 21
SSometimes I have great weeks. Weeks when everything
goes just perfectly. When things are going well, my older
brother Jonathan says they’re going “smashingly.” Which
is weird, because smashing things doesn’t seem to be so
great. Smashingly must be one of those words you learn
in college. Anyhow, sometimes I have good weeks. Weeks
when things go more or less okay. I might get a couple
of good grades, but maybe not fantastic grades. And,
sometimes I have not-so-good weeks. For example,
I might stub my toe or get stung by a bee.
But SOMETIMES, and thankfully not very often,
I have TERRIBLE weeks. Weeks when just about nothing
seems to go right. And let me tell you, I’m sure glad it’s
Thursday, because this has been just about the MOST
TERRIBLE week I’ve ever had. I’m glad it’s almost over.
Except for a few moments, that is. I think I, Walter William
Wilson, am just going to have to tell you all about it.
Walter’s Week
22 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
Monday
Monday started out pretty well. Mom and Dad
made bacon and eggs for breakfast. Dad had to work
the afternoon shift at the factory. So that meant that he
was around when we all had breakfast. Sometimes he
works the really early shift and gets up at the crack of
dawn. On those mornings, he’s gone before I even get up.
But Monday, he had breakfast with us. My little sister,
Susanna, was quietly sitting in her chair. She wasn’t even
making those annoying sounds she often makes. It looked
like the week was starting out on the right foot. But boy
was I wrong!
You see, I was having such a good time at breakfast.
My dad and I were talking about the local baseball team.
They had won the night before. Breakfast was as tasty
as ever. I had a second helping of eggs, which I don’t
normally do. I even had a second glass of orange juice.
Sometimes, orange juice makes my mouth hurt in the
morning. Because I was having such a good time, I didn’t
realize how late it had become. I looked at the clock, and
it said 8 o’clock! The bus usually picks me up at 7:45!
I was late.
Sure enough, when I ran outside, the bus was long
gone. Tommy, Maria, and Tia weren’t at the bus stop.
They must have left in the bus already. So, I had to run
back inside and ask Mom to drive me to school.
Walter’s Week
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I was about a half hour late for school.
Mrs. Crabtree wasn’t too happy about that. As I crept
into the classroom, she stopped her lecture. “Mr. Wilson,
kindly tell the class why you are so tardy,” she demanded.
“I missed the bus,” I said quietly.
“I think you had better catch it next time,
Mr. Wilson,” Mrs. Crabtree said sternly.
“Yes, ma’am,” I said.
So it was only 8:30 in the morning and things were
already taking a turn for the worse. I sat down in my
chair. Tia, who sits next to me, was giggling as I sat down.
“You be quiet, Tia!” I whispered.
The class was going over the math homework from
the weekend. Mine was in my Super Rangers backpack.
Walter’s Week
24 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
I reached in to grab it. It must have been caught on
something, because when I pulled it out…
RRRRIIPPPPPPPPP!
The paper was torn in half. I had to tape it up, and
I knew Mrs. Crabtree hates torn homework. Fortunately,
there was tape in my desk. But as I used the tape, I cut
my thumb on the sharp edge that cuts the tape. I had
to ask Mrs. Crabtree for a bandage. She sent me to the
Nurse’s offi ce.
Things were not going well. As the day went on,
things grew worse and worse. I spilled ketchup on my
shirt at lunch. I banged my knee on the wall playing
kickball in gym class. Then, I found out I did poorly in
science class. By the end of the day, you can bet I was
ready to go home. I just wanted to crawl back into bed,
watch some cartoons, and call it a day.
Which is exactly what I did.
Walter’s Week
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Tuesday
So I got a lot of sleep on Monday night. You might
even say I got too much sleep. I must have slept wrong.
When I awoke on Tuesday morning, I had a terrible
pain in my neck. My neck was so stiff and sore that
I couldn’t rotate my head. My fi rst thought was this:
if this is how my day’s going to start, I don’t even want
to get out of bed.
But I could hear my mom calling from downstairs.
“Walter! Come down and have your breakfast.” With
my aching neck, I climbed out of bed and trudged down
the steps.
“Walter, you still have your jammies on,” my mom
said. I hate it when she calls them “jammies.”
“They’re pajamas, Mom,” I replied grumpily.
“I’ll change after breakfast. My neck is sore.”
“Oh, poor sweetheart,” my mother whispered.
“Would you like an ice pack for your sore neck?”
“Sure,” I muttered.
I began eating my cold cereal as my mom prepared
the ice pack. I didn’t know how cold it would be. When
I felt the cold ice on my neck, I jumped. And just my luck,
I banged my knee against the table.
“Rats!” I howled. So, now I had a sore knee and a
hurt neck. Things weren’t going well. I decided to just
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fi nish my breakfast and go upstairs to get ready for
school. The sooner I started my day, the sooner it would
be over.
A few minutes later, I limped out to the bus stop on
my sore knee. When the bus came, it hurt to climb the
steps. When I boarded the bus, there was nowhere to sit!
Well, nowhere except next to Tommy Dorsey. “Doogie
Dorsey,” we call him, although I don’t know why. He’s not
my favorite person. I sat down next to him and tried to
ignore him all the way to school. Sometimes I’m not the
nicest person around, and I was in no mood to be nice
right then. I think Doogie Dorsey could tell. He paid no
attention to me either.
My knee and neck hurt all day long. It was hard to
concentrate. I was pretty unhappy. I couldn’t even enjoy
the interesting project we had in science class, because
I was in so much pain.
All day, I just tried to remember that my favorite
program, Super Rangers, would be on television
that night. That kept me going. I couldn’t wait to see
the Rangers on television, battling bad guys and
saving the world.
Super Rangers is always on at 7:30. I ate dinner
with my parents really quickly and helped my dad wash
the dishes so I’d be ready for the Super Rangers. At 7:25,
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I eagerly sat down and clicked on the television. Do you
know what? The program wasn’t on! There was some
special news program on instead! So, after a terrible day,
I had to go to bed without even being able to see my
Super Rangers! Could things get any worse?
Wednesday
Fortunately, I got enough sleep on Tuesday night
that my neck didn’t hurt on Wednesday morning. My
knee had actually begun to feel better too. When I awoke
on Wednesday morning, I hoped for a better day than
Monday or Tuesday.
Like every other morning, I had breakfast before
school. This time, waffl es. I like waffl es. And I made it
to the bus stop on time, so I wasn’t late to school. I also
didn’t have to sit next to Doogie Dorsey. I sat next to my
good friend Darnell Parker. It looked like it might be
a good day.
When we arrived at school, Mrs. Crabtree surprised
us. “Today, class, we’re going on a fi eld trip!” Everyone in
class started cheering.
Hurray, a fi eld trip!
The class lined up by last name. So, I, Walter William
Wilson, was second to last. Only Teresa Young was
behind me. That’s how it always happens.
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Anyway, the fi eld trip was to the zoo. I love the
zoo. I like seeing all the animals, especially the tigers.
Sometimes I like to imagine that I’m a big strong tiger.
But not very often.
So, we boarded the bus and started off. On the
bus, Mrs. Crabtree asked us to raise our hands and say
what our favorite animals were. Once again, because
my last name is Wilson, I had to wait until the end. Do
you know what? Doogie Dorsey, who went fourth, said
that his favorite animal is the tiger! He had to know that
MY favorite animal is the tiger. So, I had to pick another
animal. All the good animals were taken. Do you know
what’s worse? By the end of next week, we each have
to prepare a report on the animal we picked. I picked
the koala. It was one of the few animals left by the time
it was my turn.
When we got to the zoo, Mrs. Crabtree and the
zookeeper took us around. The animals were neat.
We learned a little bit about each one. But there were
a few problems. First, the tigers weren’t in their cage.
They were at the animal doctor. They were getting their
checkups, I guess. So I didn’t get to see the tigers. That
was a disappointment. Also, the zoo in my town doesn’t
Walter’s Week
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even have koalas. So I couldn’t learn anything that
would help me with my report. I guess I have a lot of
research to do.
About halfway through the trip, it started raining.
There was lightning and thunder too. So we started
running back to the bus. Then
I slipped in a puddle. I dropped
my Super Rangers backpack in
the muddy water! My favorite
backpack was now all stained.
I thought to myself, “It’s Monday
and Tuesday all over again.” Plus,
slipping in the puddle made my
sore knee hurt again. I just wanted to go home.
When the school day was over, I rode the bus home.
As I sat on the bus, the only thing I had to look forward
to was working on my report. I don’t even like koalas.
I spent the afternoon doing research on my brother’s
computer. Then I had dinner. I watched some television
after dinner. Then I went to bed. As I lay in bed, I thought
about the next day. I just knew it had to be better than
today, yesterday, or Monday. I guess you could say I try to
look on the bright side of things.
Walter’s Week
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Thursday
All Wednesday night, it rained. There was lightning
and thunder too. The storm kept me awake for a lot of the
night. So, I was tired and grumpy when I fi nally woke up
Thursday morning.
I trudged downstairs for breakfast. Mom was in a
hurry, so she hadn’t had time to make breakfast. I had
cold cereal for breakfast. I saw that my older brother
had drunk all of the orange juice. I had to have grapefruit
juice with my cereal instead. I don’t like grapefruit juice.
It makes my mouth pucker. But I drank it, because
I needed my vitamin C. Vitamin C is important. It helps
keep you healthy.
Before I was ready to go to school, I tried to clean
the mud off of my Super Rangers backpack. I didn’t want
to carry around a muddy backpack all day. I tried using
soap and water. That just smeared the mud around even
worse. I had no choice. I had to carry around a muddy
backpack all day, after all.
With my muddy backpack in hand, I went to
school. Of course, I wore my backpack over my shoulders
on the way. So the back of my shirt was muddy all day,
as well. On the bus, Doogie Dorsey laughed at my muddy
shirt. I gave him a dirty look that made him change his
tune right quick.
Walter’s Week
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 31
By the time I got to school, I was in a bad mood.
I could barely pay attention to Mrs. Crabtree. I think she
was talking about math all morning, but I’m not sure.
I just sat there with a scowl on my face. It had not been
one of my favorite weeks, and I was ready for it to be
over. Of course, I knew I had the rest of Thursday and
all of Friday to get through.
Do you remember that science project I mentioned
a couple of days ago? Well, we got our grades back.
I didn’t do very well. I usually do really well in science.
Sometimes, I like to imagine being a scientist when
I grow up. I would make special rockets and spaceships
for the Super Rangers. Wouldn’t that be awesome?
So I get upset whenever I don’t do really well
on a science project. I’m sure that Dr. Prime, who builds
the spaceships for the Super Rangers, never got a B
in science class. I was disappointed in myself. My older
brother always tells me that I’ll do better next time,
and sometimes I do, but it still hurts. And do you know
what else still hurts? My knee, from when I banged it
on the table.
When the school day was fi nally over, I went home
and started writing about what a terrible week I’d had.
Walter’s Week
32 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
I wrote about hurting my neck and hurting my knee.
I wrote about missing the school bus and sitting next
to Doogie Dorsey. I wrote about missing the tigers.
I wrote about the koalas. I wrote about missing
the Super Rangers on television. I wrote about getting
my Super Rangers backpack all dirty. I even wrote about
grapefruit juice. Then, I thought about what I might have
to write about on Friday. When it was time for dinner,
I went downstairs. Dad had to work late at the factory, so
he couldn’t have dinner with us. After dinner, I didn’t even
watch television. I just went upstairs and went to bed.
Walter’s Week
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 33
Friday
Wow. Sometimes I have terrible weeks. Weeks when
nothing seems to go right. I might hurt my neck or my
knee, or miss the school bus, or have to sit next to Doogie
Dorsey. I might miss the tigers on a silly fi eld trip to the
zoo. And sometimes I have okay weeks. I might get a
couple of good grades and a couple of bad grades. I might
miss my favorite television show.
But SOMETIMES, I have GREAT weeks. Weeks
when everything goes almost perfectly. When things go
smashingly, as my older brother Jonathan says. Well, let
me tell you something. This week didn’t start out like it
was going to be a good week, let alone a great week.
But it sure ended up that way. I think that I, Walter
William Wilson, am going to have to tell you all about it.
I woke up Friday morning. My dad was home from
the factory, so he made pancakes for everyone. That was
nice. I didn’t miss the bus, and I didn’t have to sit next to
Doogie Dorsey. My mother had cleaned my backpack,
so I went to school happy.
Walter’s Week
34 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
You can’t imagine what happened when I got to
school. On the way, I had no idea I was in for the surprise
of my life. When we got to school, Mrs. Crabtree told us
we had a surprise assembly. An assembly is where all the
students meet in the gym. So we lined up by last name
and marched down the hallway to the gym. We sat as
a class, like we always do.
Mrs. Johnson, the principal, spoke in front of the
school. She said we had a very special guest. Do you
know who it was? It was Marissa Jenkins. Marissa
Jenkins plays Dr. Beverly Wallis, the animal-expert doctor
on the Super Rangers! A real live Super Ranger was at our
school! I was so excited, and I cheered as loud as anyone
else when she came to the front.
Walter’s Week
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 35
Things got even better. Since Marissa plays an
animal expert, she was at our school to show us some
interesting animals. You’ll never guess which animal she
wanted to show us fi rst. The koala! She brought a furry
little creature out of a cage and showed everyone. She
told us all about where koalas live. They live in Australia.
She told us what they eat. They eat the leaves and other
parts of a certain tree.
Now, here’s where things got really great. Marissa,
or Dr. Wallis, mentioned that there was a student in our
school who was doing a report on koalas. Before I
knew it, a Super Ranger invited me up to meet her and
see the koala! I got to meet a Super Ranger, one of
my heroes! She told me that I was smart to pick such
an interesting animal for my report.
Can you believe that such a terrible week ended so
well? I sure couldn’t, at fi rst. But now I can. Sometimes,
when things don’t seem to go so well, they’re going better
than you think. I guess I can say that this was one of the
best weeks of my life. Go fi gure.
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 37
Eyesight:Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!You’ve Got to See This!
By Min Ha Li Illustration by James Bravo
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 39
YYou can watch beautiful sunsets.
You can see the rain coming down
against your windowpane on slow
spring days. You can watch
sporting events on your television.
You can even catch sight of a couple
of squirrels playing in the park
on a sunny afternoon.
Most people don’t realize how
important their eyes are, but without
our eyes, we couldn’t do any of these things.
Eyesight is one of our most important senses.
Think of all the interesting things you see
from when you open your eyes in the morning
until you close them at night!
But how does it work, exactly?
What makes it possible to see things?
Read on to fi nd out more about sight,
your eyes, and how they work.
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
40 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
People haven’t always thought
about eyesight the way we do. In
fact, some people in ancient times
had very interesting ideas about how
sight worked. Take people in ancient
Greece, for example. They believed
that the objects that people saw
existed just because people could
see. Imagine this: you are in ancient
Greece, walking down a city street.
You spy a toga (a Greek robe) on a
line. Somebody has washed it and
hung it to dry. You look at the toga
and see its nice colors and beautiful designs.
Now you close your eyes—the toga is no
longer there. You believe that because you
can’t see it, it must not be there. Your seeing it
made it exist. Interesting!
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 41
Of course, we don’t really believe what
the people in ancient Greece did.
Imagine this. You’re watching
somebody play catch with her
dog. Then you close your eyes.
Of course, you can’t see the two
playing anymore. But you still
know that they are there. You can
hear them. You also know that when
you open your eyes again, they’ll still
be there. Our ideas about eyesight have
changed a lot over the centuries.
But now it’s time to investigate
our eyes and explore the different parts
of the eye and how they
work. You’ve got to
see this!
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
42 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
The eye, just like every
other part of the body,
has many parts. The most
important parts, and
the ones we’ll pay
attention to, are the iris,
the pupil, the cornea, the lens, the optic nerve,
and the sclera (sk-LAIR-uh).
The cornea is a sheer covering on the outer
part of the eye. The pupil is the black part right
in the center of the eye. The iris is the colored part
that surrounds the pupil. Some irises are blue,
some are brown, and some are hazel. When you tell
somebody what color your eyes are, you’re talking
about your irises.
The lens sits right behind the iris and the
pupil, and behind the lens lies the optic nerve,
which connects the eye to the brain. The sclera is
the white part that surrounds the pupil and the iris.
The retina makes up the rest of the eye behind all
of these things. Those are the parts of the eye.
Now let’s explore what they do!
brown iris
blue iris
hazel iris
irises
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 43
Here’s how it works. When you
look at an object, no matter what it is,
light rays bounce off the object and hit
the cornea. The cornea and the lens then
work together to make sure that the light
rays hit the retina. The lens makes sure
that the light rays aren’t blurry.
Now, an image of the object
is on the retina. Remember that this
all happens very quickly. But here’s an
interesting thing. The light rays on the
retina make the object appear upside
down! So the retina has to change the light
rays into electrical charges that the brain
can understand. You wouldn’t want to see
everything upside down!
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
44 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
The retina changes the light rays
into electrical charges that the brain can
understand. The retina then transmits these
electrical charges to the brain along the
optic nerve. When the brain receives these
electrical charges, it turns
them around so the object
appears right side up.
That’s why we don’t see
everything upside down.
Now that the brain has received these
charges and turned them right side up,
you’re seeing correctly!
But what about the iris and the pupil?
They work to control how much light gets
into the eye. When it’s dark out, the iris
opens up to allow more light in. This makes
your black pupils appear much larger.
When it’s lighter outside, the eye doesn’t
need as much light to see objects, so the
iris becomes tighter. This makes the pupil
appear smaller.
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 45
But sometimes, the parts
of the eye don’t work correctly.
Sometimes, the parts are shaped
incorrectly. That’s why some people
don’t see as well as others. The
three most common problems
people have with their sight are
nearsightedness, farsightedness,
and astigmatism (uh-STIG-muh-tiz-um).
A person who is nearsighted cannot see far
away objects clearly. A farsighted person
cannot see objects close up. A person with
astigmatism sees everything blurry.
Fortunately, people can wear corrective
lenses that try to fi x these problems. Some
people wear eyeglasses, and
some others wear contact lenses.
Most people begin to have
problems with their eyes as they
grow older. It’s no big deal.
Benjamin Franklin was both nearsighted and farsighted. He didn’t like having two pairs of glasses to see things, so he cut the lenses of his glasses in half and put them together to make bifocals. People still use his invention today!
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
46 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
Another common eye problem is color
blindness. This doesn’t mean a person sees
the world in black and white! A color-blind
person might have trouble telling some
colors apart, such as reds, greens, and
browns. This isn’t a serious problem, though
it could cause you to wear a mismatched
outfi t to school!
Some people suffer more serious
eye problems. They might be born blind
or become blind after a serious illness or
accident. That means they cannot see well
or at all. A blind person may be able to see
lights and shadows, but cannot see what is
making them. People who are legally blind
might use canes or service animals to see
for them.
In recent years, science has developed
even more to correct people’s eyesight.
Some people with poor eyesight have
chosen to undergo laser surgery.
What number is printed in this circle? Someone with normal color vision can see the number, but someone who is color blind cannot.
Answer: 74
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 47
This is a new process that uses lasers
to change the misshapen parts of the eye.
Some people believe that it is a quick
and easy way to correct your vision.
Others, however, are unsure of the
procedure’s safety.
At any rate, as science progresses,
there will probably be more and more
ways to correct poor vision. If you think
about it, ways to correct vision have
changed a lot over time! Can you
imagine when there were no such
things as eyeglasses? Back then, people
who had poor vision just had poor vision.
There was no way to change that. But
the inventions of eyeglasses, then contact
lenses, and now laser surgery have
changed all that.
Eyesight: You’ve Got to See This!
48 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
Your eyesight is important, and you
should do everything you can to protect
your eyes and your vision. There are a
number of ways to do this. Whenever you
are playing contact sports, you should
wear protective glasses to protect your
eyes from harm. Don’t watch too much
television. Watching too much television,
or playing video games for too long,
can cause strain on your eyes. Be sure
to shade your eyes (with sunglasses or a
hat) whenever you’re out in the bright
sun. Also, never EVER look directly
at the sun. That can cause serious damage
to your eyes. Finally, if you’re someone
who already wears eyeglasses, make sure
you wear them just the way your eye
doctor says.
There is much to see in the world.
If you take care of your eyes, you can help
ensure that your vision remains as strong
as it can.
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 49
By Tanya JacksonIllustration by James Bravo
Animals in Trouble:Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species Endangered Species and How to Help Themand How to Help Them
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
TITLE
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 51
INTRODUCTION
Can you imagine a world without wild animals?
That would be pretty sad. What if you could not see them
in the forest? What if you could not see them in the hills, or
even at zoos? What would that be like?
Some species, or types, of wild animals, are in serious
danger of vanishing. We call that being endangered. What
does endangered mean? It means in danger of dying out, or
becoming extinct. If we do not take steps to make sure this
does not happen to these creatures, they could be gone
from the earth forever.
Some endangered animals live in the United States.
Panthers, wolves, and some birds are endangered.
There are animals all over the world that are in trouble.
Rhinoceroses and pandas are endangered. In this book
we are going to learn about some of these animals. We
are going to learn about ways that animals become
endangered. We are also going to learn about ways to
help endangered animals. You will learn that there are
things you can do to help!
Words to Know
extinct (adj): Gone forever, vanished.
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
TITLE
52 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
THE FLORIDA PANTHER
In Florida you will fi nd some amazing wild cats. They are
Florida panthers. They are the only cougar found east of the
Mississippi. Panthers are huge, beautiful animals. They are light
brown. They can grow to be more than six feet long. They can
weigh more than 100 pounds. That is a big cat!
The panthers are very strong and fast too. They can run
almost thirty miles an hour in short spurts. If they are standing
still, they can jump forward twenty feet. They can also jump
eight feet in the air! They really are amazing.
But Florida panthers are in trouble. Panthers need a lot of
space. People are taking up that space. Florida panthers used to
live all over the southeastern United States.
After European settlers arrived in Florida in
the early 1500s, the panther’s range became
smaller. People are building farms. They
are building towns. They are
building malls. The panthers
are running out of places to
live. They live in a small section of southwestern
Florida. The Florida panthers may perish. They
need our help.
Learn more!
The state of Florida has a website where you can learn about panthers. The web address is
www.panther.state.fl .us.
The Florida panther
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
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Save the Panthers!
Only fi fty to seventy mature panthers
live in Florida now. That is not many full-grown
panthers at all. But the state of Florida is trying
to save them. Florida is trying to save land for
the panthers. Florida has made it illegal, or
against the law, to build in certain places. But that might not be
enough. Florida has also asked people with big farms to keep
their land safe for panthers. They have asked farmers not to
have traps on their farms that could hurt wild panthers.
Scientists study the panthers. They need to know how
much land panthers need to stay happy and healthy. They are
learning more and more about panthers all the time. Teaching
people about panthers also helps people learn not to fear
panthers. Children in Florida are helping. In 1982, the children
of Florida took a vote. They decided that the panther should be
the offi cial animal of Florida. That shows how much people care
about these creatures. Hopefully, all the efforts to help panthers
will cause their numbers in Florida to grow.
Florida
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
54 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
THE CALIFORNIA CONDOR
Imagine hiking in the desert. You are on a long,
hot hike. You stop for a drink of water. You look
around. Up in the sky, you see a fl ock of big, black
birds. You pull out your binoculars to take a closer
look. The big, black birds are four feet
long. Their wingspan is almost ten feet!
What kind of birds are they?
They might be California condors. California
condors are scavengers. Scavengers eat animals
that are dead. Condors scan the ground for rotting
animals. Because condors eat dead animals, some
people call them nature’s cleanup crew.
Condors are strange-looking birds. They are known
for their bald crowns. Condors have no feathers on their heads.
Instead, they have red or pink skin. Because of this, some
people think condors are really ugly. But, as nature’s cleanup
crew, they have an important function. They
get rid of dead, rotting animals.
Now you know!
Condors feed on dead, rotting animals. The meat of these animals is called carrion.
Condor
Condor in fl ight
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Condors in Trouble!
California condors once lived up and
down the west coast. But now they, like
the Florida panther, are one of the most endangered species
in the United States. In the early 1980s, there were as few as
nine California condors. The condors were in grave danger.
Condors were dying from lead poisoning. They ate pieces of
lead bullets when they ate animals shot by hunters. People also
shot condors.
Scientists knew they had to take some serious steps. Do
you know what they did? They captured every California condor
they could. By 1987, there were no condors in the wild. Each one
was safely cared for by people. The scientists then encouraged
the condors to breed. Slowly more condors hatched. In the 1990s
scientists began releasing these condors into the wild.
The number of condors has grown. Some say there are
probably now 200 condors in the wild. Scientists are working to
fi gure out ways to keep condors safe so their numbers can grow
even more.
Learn More
You can learn more about California condors online at www.defenders.org/wildlife/birds/calcondor.html.
California
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GRAY WOLVES
Gray wolves are another animal in trouble.
Gray wolves once roamed freely in Canada
and the United States. Now they are in trouble.
They mainly live in Alaska, Idaho, and Wyoming.
Gray wolves are the ancestors of dogs. Some
wolves are nearly three feet tall at their
shoulders. They are many different colors.
Some are black. Others are white. Some are
gray. Some have mixed colors. They are heavy beasts
too. Some can weigh well over 100 pounds. Imagine a
dog that big!
Gray wolves travel in packs. That means they
travel with other wolves. These packs have between
four and ten wolves. There is usually one leader. The
typical leader is a male. The rest of the pack is family.
There is the leader’s mate. There are the leader’s pups.
Sometimes you
will fi nd the leader’s
brothers and sisters
in the pack too.
Gray wolf
Wolf pack in Yellowstone National Park
Learn More
Where else could you go to learn more about the places where gray wolves live?
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
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Hunting the Gray Wolves
The gray wolves’ main enemy
is humankind. Before Europeans
settled in North America, there were
hundreds of thousands of gray wolves.
Native people in Canada and the
United States respected the wolves. They honored the wolves.
But this all changed as new people began to settle throughout
Canada and the United States.
The settlers and the native people had different feelings
about wolves. The settlers feared the wolves. They also
misunderstood the wolves. They were afraid the wolves would
kill all of their livestock, or farm animals. In fact, wolves hunt
only the weakest animals. But the settlers did not know that.
They hunted the gray wolves. Ranchers shot any gray wolf they
saw. Sometimes the government paid hunters for dead wolves.
By the late 1960s, there were fewer than 100 gray wolves
in the United States. Too many had been hunted. They were
in serious danger.
Roping a gray wolf
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
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Saving the Gray Wolves
Something had to be done. A new project
began. It was a wolf recovery project. It was like
the condor project. Scientists captured wolves
living in Canada. They tagged the wolves. This
means they put electric tags in their ears. That
way the scientists could follow the wolves later.
Some of the wolves mated and had pups.
Soon there were enough to release in the wild.
They let the wolves go in Yellowstone National Park. People kept
an eye on all the wolves. They made sure the wolves were safe.
Laws were also passed. It became against the law to kill
wolves. Hunters were not allowed to kill them anymore. Slowly,
the number of wolves has grown. There are now around 5,000
wolves in the United States. In fact, wolf reintroduction has been
so successful, that certain wolf populations were removed from
protection lists in 2009. Many people do not agree that
this was the right decision because it means wolves can
be hunted in certain areas. Some people think they will
be over hunted again. Wolves still need protection.
Learn More
You can learn all about the wolf project. Log on to
www.nps.gov/yell/naturescience/wolves.htm.
Gray wolf pup
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
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THE BALD EAGLE
The bald eagle is a symbol of the United States.
The bald eagle is also on the presidential
seal, which is the symbol of the president of the
United States. Wherever the president goes, there
is a picture of a bald eagle nearby.
The bald eagle is a beautiful bird. It
grows to be about three feet long. Its
wings are almost six feet from tip to tip.
The bald eagle is not really bald, though. It is brown
but with a white head.
The bald eagle is called a bird of prey. That means
it eats other animals. Other animals are its prey. The bald
eagle’s diet is fi sh. It lives near the ocean, rivers, and lakes so
it can hunt fi sh. When an eagle sees a fi sh, it swoops down and
catches the fi sh in its talons. It has also been spotted stealing
fi sh from other birds!
Did you know?
The bald eagle is a bird of prey. There are others. Falcons, hawks, and owls all are birds of prey.
The American bald eagle
Left to right: Peregrine falcon,
Cooper’s hawk, Northern spotted owl
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
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Hurting the Bald Eagle
The bald eagle is endangered. Why? Bald eagles face
the same problems other endangered animals face. People are the
eagles’ #1 enemy.
Farmers used to use a poison called DDT to kill bugs
on their farms. But there was a problem. The DDT washed into
lakes and rivers. The DDT then poisoned
the fi sh. Eagles that ate the poisoned fi sh
died from the poison. If the eagles laid
eggs before they died, the baby eagles
were poisoned too.
Also, people built on land where
the eagles lived. They cut down trees
to make room. They needed room for malls. They needed room
for farms and houses. Sometimes, the trees had eagles’ nests in
them. Then the eagles had no place to live, so there were fewer
and fewer eagles.
Bald eagle chicks
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Saving the Bald Eagle
People knew they needed to save this
national symbol. A number of steps were taken.
First, using DDT was banned, which means
no one was allowed to use it anymore. DDT
was banned in the 1970s. People had to come
up with other ways to kill bugs. To this day, you
cannot buy DDT in the United States.
Second, places where bald eagles lived became protected.
If a family of bald eagles lives in a forest, that place is
preserved. You are not allowed to cut down trees there.
Third, it became illegal to hunt and shoot a bald eagle.
Anyone who shoots a bald eagle is in a lot of trouble.
Have these steps helped? They have. Hundreds of
years ago, there were more than 250,000 bald eagles in North
America. In the 1960s, there were only 1,000. But by 1992, there
were almost 7,000. The bald eagle is rebounding. As of 2010,
bald-eagle populations are listed as recovered for most of the
United States. As conservation efforts
continue, we will hear more good news
about eagles.
The American bald eagle
Did you know?
The bald eagle can live for almost thirty years!
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
62 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
WHALES AND THE DANGERS THEY FACE
There are endangered creatures in the oceans off the
United States too. One of the largest endangered species
in the world is the humpback whale. Some
humpbacks live off the coasts of California
and Alaska.
The humpback, like all other whales,
is a mammal that lives in the water. It needs
air to breathe. So every now and then,
humpbacks must come to the surface for air. People fl ock to
places where whales live. Whales breaking the surface of the
sea are quite a sight. Above the surface, they fi ll their large lungs
with air. Then they go below the surface again.
Humpbacks are also known for their beautiful songs. They
communicate with each other underwater with these songs.
Nobody is sure what purpose the songs serve.
Maybe the whales use them to tell other whales
where they are. Maybe they use their songs to
attract other whales. But almost everyone agrees
that the whales’ songs are beautiful.
Humpback whale
Check it out!
You can hear actual humpback whale songs online at www.oceanmammalinst.com/songs.html!
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 63
Save the Whales
For many years, people hunted whales. They wanted oil.
The oil in whales’ skin was used to power lamps. Whale skin
also has fat called blubber. Blubber and other parts of whale
skin were used for food and warmth. Many people
hunted whales for their blubber and oil.
Sometimes ships at sea have accidents.
When some ships crash, they spill oil. This oil is bad
for whales, so accidents at sea hurt whales too.
Whales, especially humpbacks, were
in awful danger. They began to die off.
Something had to be done.
Steps were taken to save the whales.
The United States passed a law. The law
said no one was allowed to hunt whales.
This would protect whales near United States’ coasts. Also,
many people who wanted to save the whales came together.
They formed groups. These groups worked to stop hunters.
Also, the government passed laws for safety so there
would be fewer accidents. These steps have helped the number
of whales to grow. Things are looking up for the whales.
Humpback whales feeding
Check it out!
At www.savethewhales.org you can do some fun online activities. You will learn about whales at the same time.
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
64 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
THE MIGHTY RHINOCEROS
Perhaps the strongest and fi ercest of the
endangered animals is the mighty rhinoceros.
The rhinoceros is a huge and powerful beast. The
rhinoceros roams the plains of Africa and Asia. It
can grow to be almost six feet tall, and it can weigh
almost 3,000 pounds. But do not let its size fool you. Sometimes
the rhinoceros can run up to forty miles per hour. That is fast!
The rhinoceros is best known for its horn.
Every rhinoceros, unless something has happened
to it, has a large horn at the front of its snout.
The horn is strong and powerful. These horns
can grow to be nearly two feet long.
The rhinoceros is also known for its skin.
The rhinoceros has thick skin. Its skin might be
brown. It might be gray. It might be almost black.
It all depends on the type of rhinoceros. But all rhinoceroses
are in trouble, and some are in very serious trouble.
Black rhinoceros
Did you know?
The rhinoceros’s horns are made of keratin. That is what your fi ngernails are made of!
White rhinoceros Indian rhinoceros
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 65
The Rhinoceros in Trouble
There are fi ve different types of rhinoceros.
There is the Sumatran (soo-MAH-tran) rhinoceros.
There is the Javan (JAH-vun) rhinoceros. There is
the Indian rhinoceros. There are the white rhinoceros and the
black rhinoceros. They all have horns, they all have thick skin,
and they all are in trouble.
Like most endangered animals, the rhinoceros
has one major enemy. That enemy is humankind.
Hunting the rhinoceros is against the law. Hunting
that is against the law is called poaching. Poachers
have killed countless rhinoceroses.
No rhinoceros is in more trouble than the
Javan rhinoceros. Experts think there
may be only sixty in the entire world. No
one seems to know how to stop people
from poaching. Also, people have tried to
capture and breed the rhinoceros. Unfortunately,
rhinos do not breed well in captivity. There has been
only one successful Sumatran rhino birth in 100
years in the United States. No one knows what to do.
Let’s hope experts will soon fi gure something out.
Sumatran rhinoceros
Javan rhinoceros
Did you know?
The rhinoceros has thick skin. People think this means they have strong skin. This is not so. The rhinoceros can get sunburned easily! The rhinoceros stays cool by swimming in rivers.
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
66 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
THE BEAUTIFUL PANDA
In Asia, far across the world, lives
the giant panda. Many agree that
pandas are some of the most beautiful
creatures on Earth.
Pandas are found only in China.
They are giant black and white bears.
Usually they have white faces, with
black ears and eye patches. Full grown, they weigh about
200 pounds. Pandas are omnivores. This means they eat plants
and meat. You will fi nd pandas in places where there are
only bamboo plants to eat. Do you know what else? Pandas
cannot store enough fat from their bamboo diet, so they do not
hibernate during the winter. They are the only bears
that do not hibernate!
Pandas live in remote parts of
China, usually high in the mountains.
They live in forests that have thick
bamboo stands, or groups of bamboo
trees. As a result, it is diffi cult to see
these beautiful creatures in the wild.
Giant panda
Giant panda in a zoo
Did you know?
The strong, fl at teeth in the back of your mouth are called molars. Pandas have the largest molars of any carnivore in the world!
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings © 2011 Success for All Foundation 67
Saving the Pandas
Pandas face the same dangers other
endangered animals do. Their enemy is
humankind. Pandas can live in only one
part of China. But that part is too small.
It is surrounded by people. There is not
enough room for the pandas. Experts say there are only about
1,500 pandas in the wild.
People are beginning to help. China has
opened several research centers for pandas. They
study pandas to learn how to better protect them
and their bamboo forests. The United States is
beginning to help. Zoos here are adopting pandas
from China. Zoos like to adopt pairs of pandas
in the hope that they will breed. There are some
famous pandas in the United States. Bai Yun and
Gao Gao live at the San Diego Zoo. Mei Xiang and
Tian Tian live at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. It is
always exciting when a panda is born in one of
our zoos. We do not want pandas, or any other
creatures, to disappear from the world.
Did you know?
Tai Shan and Mei Lan are two famous pandas born in the U.S. They were returned to China in 2010 to help conservation efforts.
China
Animals in Trouble: Endangered Species and How to Help Them
68 © 2011 Success for All Foundation The Savvy Reader—Clarifying, A Collection of Readings
What can you do to help animals? There are many things
you can do to lend a hand. Learn about endangered animals near
your home. Find out what needs to be done to save them.
You can write letters to the government. Tell the people in
your state government how you feel. Tell them to support efforts
to help animals. Tell them to vote against steps that would hurt
animals. Adults can help you fi nd addresses for these letters.
Recycling also helps. Trash buildup leads to pollution.
Pollution hurts animals. Do not make a lot of trash. Keep the
air and land clean.
You can also learn about endangered animals. Do a school
project on them. Teach other kids about these animals. Animals
everywhere need our help. We do not want to live in a world
where animals are not safe. Let’s all do what we can.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Find out More
Learn about other animals in danger at www.fws.gov/endangered.
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